Time switch



Nov. 23, 1954 Filed Dec. 4, 1951 H. JUNGHANS ETAL 2,695,342

TIME SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet l- Zinnen/7042;

Nov. 23, 1954 H. JUNGHANS ETAL 2,695,342

TIME SWITCH Filed Dec. 4, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 16 16 F|G .8. LEES Fles.H610. l

Nov. 23, 1954 H. JUNGHANS :TAL

TIME SIIICH 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 4, 1951 iff:

United States Patent O THVIE SWITCH Helmut Junghans, Schramberg-Sulgen,Hans Schlenker, Schramberg, and Kurt Buerle, Sehramberg-Sulgen, Germany,assignors to Gebruder Junghans A. G., Schramberg-Schwarzwald, GermanyApplication December 4,` 1951, Serial No. 259,7 58 11 Claims. (Cl. 20G-38) The invention relates to time switches for the actuation of electriccircuits, for example, of signal installations or lightinginstallations, and has for its object to provide an arrangement whichpermits of short switching intervals with a simple and'inexpensiveconstruction and also a simple method of manipulation, the switchmemlers being so arranged and fashioned that they cannot e lost.

According to the invention, a number of disengageable switch memberscorresponding to the predetermined time graduation of the time switch isarranged on a setting drum.

In this arrangement, the switch members are advantageously ridersconsisting of thin sheet metal which are arranged axially or radially onthe switch drum and can be brought into and out of the operativeposition by rotation or by longitudinal displacement.

Embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example in the drawing,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of a irst embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line a`B of Fig. l;

Figs. 3 and 4 show details of said lirst embodiment;

Figs.V 5 and 6 are front and side elevations of a second embodimentofthe invention; Fig. 6 being taken on line C1-D of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 represents diagrammatically the switching operation with theembodiment according to Figs. 5 and 6;

Figs., 8, 9 and 10 illustrate dilerent constructions of riders; and

Figs. ll and l2 show diagrammatically a change-over device for Sundaysand holidays as applied to the time switchesaccording to Figs. l to 4 orFigs. 5 to 10.

In the` embodiment illustrated in Figs. l to 4, 1 represents a rotatablymounted setting disc or setting drum, on which are secured the switchmembers which are preferably constructed in the form of movable bladesor riders and which are arranged closely alongside one another. In Fig.2, such a rider is shown in the rest position., In Fig. 3, the rider 2is swung toward the left, so that its downwardly projecting arm 2a canbecome operative with a finger 3a onk a` mercury switch 3. In Fig. 4,the rider 2. is swung to the right, so that its arm 2a can corne intoengagement with the nose 4a of a lever 4 pivotally mounted at 4. In therest position of the riders shown in Fig, 2,` it is not possible forthese to come into contact either with the nger 3a of the mercuryswitch, or with the nose, 4a of the lever 4, as the setting drum 1 isrotated.

As indicated in Fig. l, the mercury switch 3 is mounted to pivot about apin 3 and has a stud 5 which is acted upon by an arm 4b carried by thelever 4 so that the switch 3 is swung in a clockwise direction and thetwo electrodes of the mercury tube are bridged over by the mercury.

For securing the position of the mercury switch 3 at any time, saidswitch is provided with a nger 3b which engages with a projection 6a ofa securing lever 6 which is under the action of a springf 7. Theprojection 6a of the lever 6' thus bearsalternately on the right ank andthe left ilank of the linger 3b.

In order to secure the riders 2 in the rest position, in theswitched-out position or in the switched-in position, a spring 9 isassociated with each of the riders and engages in tooth-like notches 8of the latter.

The koperation of this embodiment is as follows 1 when aV rider isswungy to the right (Fig. 4), it will, in passing through the centralposition (Fig. l), come into contact with the bevelled surface of thenose 4a on the lever 4 and.wil1 thus force this lever in a. downwarddirection. Because of the downwardly projecting arm 4b which is carriedby the lever 4 and which acts on the sutd 5 of the mercury tube switch3, the latter is swung in the clockwise direction (Fig. 1)., so that thetwo electrodes olf th: mercury tube are bridged over. andthe circuit isc ose In the switched-.on position, the finger 3a is thus again in therange of the rider. When the next rider displaced to the left, inpassing through the middle position (Fig. 1), strikes against the finger3a, the mercury switch is swung in the opposite. direction and the twoelectrodes are interrupted.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. S to lt), slidable riders 15 areemployed instead of the oscillatable or tiltable riders 2.

The setting drum in this form consists of a plurality of drawn parts,for example, the outer discs 10 and 11 which preferably have turned-overrims. which abut on one another in the middle. Located between these twodiscs is a disc 12 which is preferably provided on each of its two sideswith three grooves arranged one above the other and in which rest thenoses 16 on the ends of the riders 15 for securing purposes. The rim ofthe intermediate disc I2, which is preferably turned over, serves tosecure the riders I5 in the radial direction. Milled in the discs-10andvll are radial slots 13 and 14 into whichl the riders 15 may beintroduced. The minimum spacing of these slots is expediently soselected that in the switching action by one rider (switching on orswitching off), the next following rider is not impeded.

In this embodiment, the riders 15 on the intermediate disc 12 of thesetting drum can be displaced to an outer position, a middle positionand an inner position. In Fig. 6, one rider 1S is shown in its outerposition in full lines. The middle position and the inner positions inthis figure are indicated by broken lines. If a rider 15 is'in itsmiddle position, it does not coact with the mercury switch. If it is inits outer position, a switching in of the mercury switch is effected,whereas in the inner position of the rider, the mercury switch isswitched out. This is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 7. In thisembodiment, the mercury switch 3 is mounted on a bearing pin 20' towhich is secured a lever 19 which is provided with laterally projectingarms 17, i3. When a rider is in its inner position and runs on the arm17, the lever 19V is swung in the clockwise direction (Fig. 5) and themercury switch 3 is tilted and switched oi If the rider is in its outerposition, it comes into engagement with the other arm 18 of the lever19, so that the mercury switch is switched in. In Fig. 5 of the drawing,the mercury tube switch is shown in the inoperative position. Forsecuring the switch positions of the mercury tube switch, the lever 19is provided with a downwardly projecting arm 21 which cooperates withone of the two anks of a nose 22a carried by a locking level` 22. Thelocking lever 22 in this form is under the action of a spring 23;

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 to l0, the riders 15 can becompletely withdrawn and inserted in another slot of the disc 12.Naturally, riders may be fitted in all the slots of the setting drum inorder to render unnecessary an interchange of the riders.

In the embodiment illustrated, a ring 24 is provided for securing theriders in the operative position, said ring being milled or cut throughat 24a. As will be apparent from Fig. 6, the inserted rider, which isprovided with a suitable recess 25 for the accommodation of the ring 24,is secured in its position by the said ring 24.

If it is desired to remove a rider completely and to insert it inanother slot of the setting drum, the. ring 24 is turned to such anextent that its slot opening 24a is positioned exactly radially of therider. The rider can then be extracted and the ring 24 with its slottedopening can be rotated until the said opening is in alignment with a newslot of the discs 16 and 11, into which rider can then be inserted.

If it is assumed that the time interval from stot to slot is equal to l5minutes, it is possible to effect a further division when a specialrider, such as that shown in completes one revolution Fig. 8, isemployed. Provided on the head of such a rider are noses 26, 27, ofwhich for example the nose 26 can be bent over somewhat, so that therelease takes place sooner or later. This rider is preferably providedwith an indication, for example, the Figure (Figure 8). This indicatesthat by a suitable bending over of the nose 26, the release takes placefive minutes earlier or later, according to the side to which the noseis bent over. Y

Figs. 9 and l0 illustrate two further bendings for releases ive and tenminutes sooner or later.

As will be seen from Fig. 5 of the drawings, the disc 10 is providedwith a scale, the figures marked thereon indicating the hours. One houris subdivided into four parts, and therefore includes four slots, sothat the time intervals between two slots is equal to fifteen minutes. Afurther time division is effected by the last-mentioned rider withbent-over nose 26.

28 indicates a minute disc and 29 a setting knob. When the setting knobis rotated manually in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 5),the discs 1) and 11 are moved in the same direction. The setting knob 29and the disc 10 are rigidly connected with one another and are securedon a shaft 30. The disc 10 makes one revolution in twenty-four hours andin the same time the disc 28 carries out twenty-four revolutions. 4Thedisc 10 and the discs 11 and 13 are secured relatively to one another ona bushing 32 by means of a screw 31. The shaft 30 and the bushing 32 aredriven by a suitable transmission from the clock mechanism.

It should be noted that the nose 27 located opposite the nose 26 carriesout no switching functions. The two noses are merely provided for thesake of symmetry and so that they can be grasped better when removingthe rider. It is also not necessary to take care as to the side on whichthe unbent rider is inserted.

The embodiment shown in Figs. ll and 12 is intended for a change-overarrangement for Sundays and holidays. In this example, a can or controldisc 33 is secured on the bushing 32 of Fig. 6 and the said disc isrotated with the bushing 32 in a counter-clockwise direction and intwenty-four hours. This control disc 33 acts on a lug 34a of a two-armedlever 34 which is pivotally mounted at 35, the other arm of said leverhaving secured thereon by means of a screw 38, a locking cone 37 whichin turn acts on a star 39. The star 39 is formed on its periphery withseven teeth corresponding to the number of days in a week. The lever 34is under the action of a helical spring 36. Rigidly connected with thestar 39 is a further disc 40 which, in accordance with the number ofdays in a week, is provided with seven threaded holes 41, each of whichis adapted to receive a threaded pin 42. The star 39 also has rigidlyconnected with it a further disc 45 which is preferably provided with anindication according to the day of the week.

The setting of the control disc 33 is in this case carried out in such amanner that the dropping of the twoarmed lever 34 or the lug 34a thereoftakes place at twenty-four hours, so that the lever 34 turns under theaction of its spring 36 and the star with the discs mounted thereon isadvanced by one tooth.

Wires 43 and 44 are secured on a shaft 46 which is rotatably mounted inplates of the frame, and the wire 43 engages on the threaded pin 42which is inserted in one of the holes 41 of the disc 40. The holes ofthe disc will be indicated by Mo, Tu, We, etc., that is to say, torepresent Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. Therefore, if for example onSunday or on any other desired week-day, no signal is to be made, athreaded pin 42 is screwed into the associated threaded hole 41, so thatduring operation the wire 43 is lifted and consequently the wire 44comes into engagement by its bent end 44a with the mercury switch 4S orthe surface 47a of the mercury tube holder 47 and tilts the mercuryswitch 48 to the right and brings it into the switched-off position(Fig. 1l). After twenty-four hours, the wire 43 is released again by thethreaded pin 42, since the star 39 has been advanced by one tooth.

The disc 45 rigidly connected with the star 39 also bears an indicationof the days of the week. This is necessary, in order that thedisengaging arrangement for Sundays or holidays can be set to thecorrect day of the week when setting the clock in operation or whenmaking a time adjustment to the clock.

49 is a stop spring which serves for maintaining the position of thestar 39. When the holder 47 of the mercury tube has been brought by thewire 44 into the off position, the mercury tube switch is displacedsimultaneously by the inclined portion of the bent end 44a of the wireaxially in the direction indicated by the arrow E, whereupon a coilspring 50 (Fig. 12) is compressed. When the threaded pin 42 frees thewire with the further movement of the star, the mercury switch isbrought back into the old position by the tensioned coil spring 50. Dueto this axial displacement, the switch lever 51, which corresponds tothe lever 19 in Fig. 7, is no longer disposed in an engagement positionwith the riders 52. With the switching out of Sundays and holidays, themercury switch remains for the whole of twenty-four hours in theswitched-oli position, owing to the fact that, as already explainedabove, the switch lever 51 is rigidly connected with the mercury switch.

The essential features of the embodiments of the time switch which havebeen described are as follows:

l. Since the riders are oscillatably or displaceably guided in slots inthe setting drum, they may be arranged close to one another, which isnot the case, for example, with the known threaded pins. The closearrangement of theriders is also assisted by the fact that the ridersare made of thin sheet metal.

2. Each rider can be used for switching on or switching off.

3. When not being used, it is not necessary for the riders to beremoved, as they can be brought into a rest position.

4. The riders are secured against being lost, since they always remainon the setting drum and do not have to be stored at some other place.

5. With the construction according to Figs. 1 to 4, the riders arethreaded on a circular wire, the ends of which are, for example,soldered together. In the embodiment according to Figs. 5 to l0, theindividual riders are secured by a ring which is slotted at one point.

The embodiments described may be selectively combined, that is to say,the switching-out arrangement for Sundays and holidays can be built intothe time switches according to Figs. l to 4 and according to Figs. 5 to10. Moreover, the arrangement of the accurate adjustment with minutedisc and hour disc, which is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, can also beemployed with the construction according to Figs. l to 4.

It is to be further mentioned that the fixed pointer 2 (Fig. 5) servesfor the time-setting of the time switch. In Fig. 5, the time switch isset at exactly 24 hours.

As already mentioned, the switch drum is driven by a clock mechanism.For this purpose, it is possible to use a mechanical clockworkmechanism, a clock mechanism with electrical spring winding or even asynchronous clock mechanism with or without reserve movement. Moreover,the present switch arrangement may also be driven by an auxiliary clockmechanism driven from a main clock.

Many clock installations, for example, exterior clocks, are used with alighting system. For the purpose of switching on the illumination, atime switch driven by an auxiliary clock is particularly expedient,since this is constantly operating without supervision and is accuratelycontrolled as regards time by the main clock. With the switching off ofthe lighting of the main or master clocks, it is naturally also possibleto switch off at the same time other lighting systems, such as streetlighting, night lighting, etc.

What we claim is:

l. In a time switch comprising a Vclock controlled rotatable settingdrum, means for rotating the drum, said drum carrying a plurality ofclosely spaced adjustable switching elements arranged peripherally onsaid drum to extend therefrom in radial planes and adjustable in threepositions namely a neutral position, a switching-on and a switching-offposition, and an oscillatable electrical mercury switch, means forretaining the mercury switch in stable on and off positions comprising aspring controlled pawl and a lever mechanism actuatable by theadjustable switching elements to shift the mercury switch from itson-position to its oit-position and vice versa.

2. Time switch according to claim l, characterized in that the elementsare mounted to be swung in radial planes of the setting drum and each ofthem has two arms extending therefrom, one of said arms, upon swingingof the element in one direction, coming into engagement with a ngerextending from the mercury switch.

3. Time switch according to claim 2, characterized by notches on theelements and a holding spring coacting with the notches.

4. Time switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the mercuryswitch is provided with a nose cooperating with a nose of aspring-loaded locking lever.

5. Time switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the elementsare mounted on a closed ring.

6. Time switch according to claim 5, characterized in that the ring hasa slot at one point.

Time switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the elements arearranged on the setting drum so as Y.

to be displaceable radially.

8. Time switch according to claim 7, characterized in that thedisplaceable elements comprise a pair of limbs extending radially inwardof the drum, the drum including a supporting disk having groovesengageable by the limbs. i

9. Time switch according to claim 8, characterized by a ring whichengages in a recess on the end of the element opposite to the limbs.

10. Time switch according to claim 1, characterized by a circuit closingarm extending from the elements, said arm being deformable out of itsown plane thereby to vary the circuit closing time as the drum rotates.

11. Time switch according to claim 1, comprising a control camoperatively connected to the drum rotating means and having a portionextending therefrom to move the mercury switch periodically to opencircuit position as the cam rotates.

References Cited in the Jrile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 878,416 Venner Jan. 14, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 105,720 Sweden Oct. 20, 1942 124,586 Germany Oct. 18, 1901278,141 Germany Sept. 21, 1914

